Date: Sun, 15 Sep 1996 13:35:37 GMT
Subject: RESCUING EXISTING SAME-SEX MARRIAGES FROM DOMA
From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins)
CONTACTS:
Dana Priesing
DPriesing@aol.com
(703)578-0903
Riki Anne Wilchins
GPac@Gpac.Org
(212)645-1753
GENDERPAC CALLS FOR "FAMILY
PRESERVATION ACT" TO RESCUE EXISTING
SAME-SEX MARRIAGES FROM DOMA
====================================
[Washington, DC - September 11,
1996] Decrying the recently-enacted
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the
national advocacy organization GenderPAC
has called on Congress to enact a
"Family Preservation Act" to exempt
existing, legal, same-sex marriages from
DOMA-induced nullification.
At risk are scores of transgender
couples in stable, long-term, marriages
- many with school-age children - in
which one partner or the other has
legally changed their sex. Although the
change of sex is recognized by the
Federal government, under DOMA the
marriage is not.
Not only are such families at
risk of losing federal recognition but -
- in case of death or disability -- the
surviving spouse risks losing all rights
to his or her partner's federal
benefits, including federal pensions,
Social Security, and portions of
Worker's Compensation.
Said GenderPAC Congressional
Advocacy Coordinator Dana Priesing,
"Just like everywhere else, in the
transcommunity people meet, fall in
love, get married, and have children.
Later one spouse undergoes gender
reassignment, but just because he or she
has legally changed sex, doesn't mean
they suddenly cease being one-half of a
working and productive family. Now DOMA
has unnecessarily placed scores of such
marriages in jeopardy."
Declared Riki Anne Wilchins,
GenderPAC's Executive Director, "It is
unconscionable that stable, long-term
marriages are being pulled asunder
by the federal government. How can
nullifying a loving, two-parent
marriage, which is successfully raising
children, possibly help `family values?'
These are exactly the kinds of
families everyone wants to preserve."
In an effort to protect validly-
contracted same-sex marriages from
DOMA's reach, GenderPAC has drafted
corrective legislation, and is beginning
its search for Congressional
sponsorship. At the same time, Ms.
Priesing is seeking clarification from
the Department of Justice on the fate of
existing same-sex unions under DOMA.
###
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